to shape a day

Artist: Bill Watterson

by ten…twelve years,
some…most…grasp the knowing
of how to shape a day:
Huck Finn of the Mississippi,
Peter Pan of Never Never Land,
Calvin of Calvin/Hobbes,
though Calvin was six
…an early learner…
when he made up Calvinball
to ease into life…simple rules:
every player wears a mask…
no one is allowed
to question the mask…
different rules each game…
make up rules as you play along…
that game taught him
who to trust,
how to face adversity,
and how to shape his day–
just like Huck,
who lit out for the territory–
just like Peter Pan’s
days with those lost…lost boys
in Never Never Land

Bonnie Marshall